And you keep getting in the way
by Foedhrass
Summary: The last minute of Masquerade“ really shocked me and bothered me over the last couple of weeks. Here's a short story about what could have happened afterwards including the last lines of the episode


**Title:** And you keep getting in the way...

**Writer:** Foedhrass

**Genre: **controversial thoughts

**Pairing:** nope, definitively not

**Content:** The last minute of „Masquerade" really shocked me and bothered me over the last couple of weeks. Now I wrote a short story what could have happened afterwards. The other version is still in my head but I'd rather not write _that_ down! :-D

**Comment: **The first part is from Gibbs's point of view, the second from Hart's. I translated it from a german short story I wrote a couple of days ago. I hope there aren't too many errors ;)

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything. No copyright infringement intended.

_**And you keep getting in the way...**_

"I have a job to do."

He wouldn't have thought that he could baffle this resolute attorney. He wasn't able to scare off Allison Hart by making mincemeat out of her in front of his team or in private. But here and now, standing right in front of her, he had her over a barrel. Her heart rate was increasing, clearly visible on her fiercely pounding carotid artery. This time certainly not with anger. Was she attracted to him? Without any doubts his proximity deprived her of her self-confidence. He noticed the confusion in her eyes. She tried to measure him up, but her cold and analytic mind didn't help her this time. Perhaps she pondered frantically, if he actually meant this approaching behaviour... if her unyielding stubborness attracted him. Or if he just played her.

She should keep on dreaming!

Without breaking the eye contact, Jethro leant forward. Just a bit, but it didn't fail to have the desired effect. Allison swallowed. Like a rabbit in front of a snake. She wasn't able to move or to avert her gaze. His deep blue eyes had captivated her.

"And you keep getting in the way."

His voice was husky and gentle, full of suppressed craving desire. A contradiction to his prior cool and repellent words. And a sharp contrast to this fury that was seething within his veins and that could not be eased by the knowledge that he was in control.

But this woman was too dangerous to be underestimated. She was going after him and her reasons were anything but "pro bono" – he was dead certain about that. She wanted to bring him down and if she failed to do so regarding his job, she would target his private life. She had done the first step already, by breaking into his house.

But did she really believe that she could make the rules and he would walk right into her trap? No, he wouldn't. He would play along. Change the rules. Today he would bring her down. Today and again and again. Until she would surrender.

Suddenly his look became gentle. He knew that he had this move down cold. She would find a combination of desire and vulnerability in his eyes and she would fall for it.

For a split second his glance skimmed over her face, down to her lips. Then he fixed his gaze on her eyes, while getting closer again. Her reluctance, her refusing disconcertment was melting away. She had lost control over the situation, maybe even over her thoughts. She expected him to kiss her and didn't know whether to long for it or even to initiate it.

Allison hesitated, but then overcame the remaining space between them. His face was so close to hers that he slighty grazed her. He was even able to feel the warmth of her breath on his lips.

Insecurely she cast down her eyes, observed his lips in tense anticipation. And he had to pull himself together, so that the corner of his mouth would not twitch in amusement.

"Leave!"

The tone of his voice was frigid and she seemed to freeze immediately. What was that in her look? Disbelief? Seething anger? Did she feel ashamed that she had allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security? She didn't say a word, fixed her gaze on him. Did she try to stab him to death with her look? Then she still had to practice a lot.

"Leave now, or I _will_ sue you for trespassing!"

This low-voiced threat could not have been more trenchant. Hart's face was burning with rage. Did she finally realize that she rather not messed with him? That she'd better stop putting obstacles in his way?

She had hunched her shoulders aggressively, but eventually turned around and rushed out of his living room.

Shutout victory!

***

_"I have a job to do."_

He was not alone. Allison had to admit that she had been mistaken. She had thought that the gray-haired NCIS agent always ran his head against a wall without thinking about the consequences. Instead the contrary was the case. He thought most rationally, almost cooly calculating. He didn't make stupid mistakes, knew his stuff, had brought it to perfection. All the worse. And yet he would founder. On her.

Did he truly believe that those neglectably tiny obstacles that she had put in his way, would be all? He was wrong. It was only the beginning.

All the more pathetic was this attempt to intimidate her. Perhaps he was able to outface others, but now he had messed with the wrong person. Allison didn't shy away even an inch, when he came closer. She faced his blue eyes that didn't expose the real thoughts as little as hers did. Probably he wasn't so certain at all, whether he could dare to continue his feeble attempt at intimidation, or if he'd rather throw her out straightaway.

_"And you keep getting in the way."_

Of course she did. That was the point, that was the reason why she had accepted his case in the first place. To put a stop to his methods.

She didn't break the eye contact, managed to hide the anger that was boiling in her veins. He pretended to be so sensitive, looking for compassion and sympathy, masqueraded as innocent. He actually proved, that she had made the right decision. It fitted perfectly to the idea she had gotten of him.

This man was too dangerous to be underestimated. He was anything but "pro bono". Those, who meant something to him, could affort everything. Those, who got in his way, were edged aside – no matter if they were guilty or not. He would try to get rid of her. He had already done the first step, by attempting to scare her away with physical proximity.

But did he really believe that he could make the rules? No, she would play along. Change the rules. Today she would bring him down. Today and again and again. Until he would surrender.

A seemingly insecure smiley flashed over her lips and he reacted exactly as she had aimed at. His look skimmed down to her mouth for a split second, then he fixed his gaze on her eyes again. Instinctively he held his breath, when he got even closer. Gone was the calculating self-confidence. He had lost control over the situation, maybe even over his thoughts. He wanted to kiss her, at the same time it was the last thing he wanted to permit himself.

Triumphantly Allison overcame the remaining space between them. Her face was so close to his that she slighty grazed his cheek with the tip of her nose. His tensely gasping breath skimmed over her lips and she cast down her eyes to cover up her inevitably triumphing look.

_"Leave!"_

His cold voice gave away the rage that had to flash through his veins. Probably he had pictured this situation to take another course and now he was too mad at himself to keep up his indifferent or even friendly facade. Should she leave or rather carry this game to extremes and kiss him, before he could rebuilt the distance between them?

"_Leave now, or I _will_ sue you for trespassing!"_

He could not have expressed his desperation more obviously. His approved methods had not only failed him but backfired. There was no reason for her to kick him, when he was already down.

Did he finally realize that he wouldn't get rid of her so easily? That she wouldn't stop putting obstacles in his way?

She calmly shrugged her shoulders, turned around without a word and decisively left the house.

Shutout victory!


End file.
